Reviewing Mama- reviewing mom, baby and toddler products for you!

ten best strategies for de-cluttering and organizing toys in your child’s playroom.

2011-09-28T06:27:00.001-07:00

My daughter, Emily, is the queen of a messy room. We get her room picked up and she's right back in there messing it up. Then, she doesn't want to go in there because it's too messy and then she's hounding me, looking for something to do.

One day, I just got fed up with it and sat down and decided to get her room organized. We took the following steps to organize and declutter her room.

Ten best strategies for de-cluttering and organizing toys in your child’s playroom.
1. Draw a diagram of your child's room to find where to put toys.
2. Purchase plastic bins in several sizes-organize toys first by size to see what sizes you need.
3. Go through their closet and toy bins and see if there are any toys that are broken, or that they no longer play with and get rid of them.
4. Purchase a toy box with different containers and put toys that they don't play with as much in this toy box in the closet.
5. Organize toys by "topic" like cars, dolls, etc. Put these in bins that are labeled as such.
6. Go through toys monthly, cleaning out broken toys and outgrown toys to keep toys at a minimal and save time and space later.
7. Use your closet's top shelves-rotate toys to this shelf and kids will feel like they have "new" toys when you bring out the toys that haven't been played with for awhile.
8. Store bigger toys in basement to free up space in child's room.
9. Use the space under child's bed. Purchase a slider bin on wheels and keep books and crayons and stuff like that for easy access.
10. Get your child involve. Make it fun to keep their things organized and soon, they will keep toys put away and decluttered.

Things have been working out well for us and her room looks very organized and pretty. She likes that things have a place to go and makes it easy to keep her room picked up and organized.
She is excited to show her friends when they come over and they all keep the toys organized and put them back in the right bin when done. It's even taught her to read new words by looking at the labeled bins over and over.

It really isn't hard to stay organized and decluttered. You just have to make a decision to do so and stick with it!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hot Wheels® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.” (make sure you link to http://walltracks.socialmoms.com/about)

Ten time-savings tips

2011-06-22T12:55:00.000-07:00

With running two businesses (three, really with my blogs) and being a mom and wife, I really need to find ways to make my life easier. I've learned with time what works and what doesn't.
I've listed ten time-saving tips to share for all you busy moms out there:

Tip one:

When it's school season, try to get things ready the night before. Make lunches if they take a cold lunch. Lay out clothes for next day, etc.

Tip two:

Get a chalk board for your kitchen. Writing out the schedule for the week is not only time-saving, it keeps you organized. The two go hand-in-hand to help you out.

Tip three:

Speaking of writing down schedules. Assign chores to your children-and husband. Us moms have a tendency to do it all ourselves. Ask for help if you need it. Reward everyone with a trip to the zoo with the free Saturday you end up having.

Tip four:

Shop once a month instead of weekly. Stock up on supplies and buy in bulk. This will help free up lots of time. Who really likes grocery shopping anyway? This way, you eliminate three trips!

Tip five:

Shop early for holidays. Start getting xmas gifts throughout the year. Then, around Xmas time, you will be able to sit back while others are running around.

Tip six:

Carpool with other moms. If your kids are in a lot of sports, ask other moms to share with driving.

Tip seven:

Make dinners ahead of time. Start on a Monday and make your dinners for the week and freeze them. This is an awesome time-saving tip!! You can finds lots of freezable dinner recipes online on food blogs and sites.

Tip eight:

Pick one day to do laundry. Believe it or not, some moms do laundry three or four times a week. Don't do it! Tell everyone to have their baskets in their rooms and that you will only be doing laundry on Sunday, or Monday, etc. -and stick to it!

Tip nine:

Check emails in the early morning (or, late night) when things are calm. You will find that you can answer them more quickly if you aren't being bothered by "mom stuff".

Tip ten:

Have one big party instead of many. This tip works if you have several birthdays, holidays, ect. in one month. Invite the whole family over at one time and make it a big birthday bash. This is for those big families as well. We all know how busy they must be!

"I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Starbucks blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

10 Tips for Keep your family safe on the road

2011-06-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

Do you ever think about safety when on the road? Families have a tendency to think more about their destination then the trip to there.

Keeping your family safe during a road trip can mean the difference between a pleasant trip and a disasterous one.

Have you ever thought about your windshield when planning a trip? Windshields can cause major accidents and families could have avoided it by simply checking their windows for small cracks.

Here are some facts about car windshield safety:

A chip could turn into a crack at any time, often when you are least expecting it. Windshield repair is often a safe and economical alternative to a full windshield replacement.

Scheduling a windshield chip repair is easy! Companies like Safelite AutoGlass provide mobile service – wherever your car is – often within 24 hours of your initial call.

Safelite AutoGlass brings you peace of mind by emailing you a Technician Profile before your appointment, showing you a photograph and credentials of the technician coming to your home or place of business.

So what can you do to stay safe during a road trip (or any time)?

Rest
- Make sure you are well rested before taking a trip if you are the one driving.
Stay clear
-Keep your mind clear and focused on your driving to avoid going off the road.
Make stops
-Allow enough time for plenty of stops to refresh yourself.
Bring plenty of things to do
-Bring toys and things for youngsters to do to avoid fights and distractions.
Two drivers
-If you can, have two drivers to take turns to avoid falling asleep at the wheel.
Check car
-Before you go on your trip, have your car checked for low tires, chips in windshield, etc.
Bring plenty of water
-Staying well hydrated will keep you more alert.
Bring emergency supplies
-Always have emergency road service supplies in trunk in case of emergency.
Bring a cell phone
-Have a phone in case of emergency and have your insurance number and emergency contact handy.

Do a last minute check

Check your car over right before you leave to make sure tires are safe and there are no chips in your windows.

What ideas do you have to make a road trip safe?
Leave a comment and let me know!
“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Safelite blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Little switches can make a difference in your life!

2011-04-06T12:02:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, life can get a bit boring. Even if you have the perfect marriage, you are the perfect mom, and your job is your dream job. Yes, sometimes you have to "switch it up" to keep things exciting! That's why I try to change things up a bit from time to time. Here are a few things I do in our family life.
Bringing back date night. My husband and I try to go out on date night, but not just eat out like we used to. We are trying new things together (nothing kinky, dont worry!) . We never go to the movies because we think the prices are crazy, but we just recently went to a Mystery Dinner! It was a blast!

Surprise trip. We also like to plan a trip (close to home)- I mean we DONT plan it. Sometimes, it's exciting to just get in the car and go. We have map quest on our phones so we dont get lost and we look up something nearby. We ended up turning a trip to fix a phone into a shopping day and I still think about how much fun we had. A trip doesnt have to cost a lot of money. Think of something thats cheap or even free and surprise your family!

Order in. We like to try different types of food other then the normal ordering pizza, so once in awhile, we get brave and order something we've never tried before.
Going out-alone. Yes, sometimes getting away from each other can switch things up. going out shopping alone refreshes things for me.
Taking the kids. Switching things by TAKING the kids on a date night. We can have fun with the kids coming too. Let them pick what you do for a change.
Family night. We dont have too many chances for family night, so planning a game night helps keep everyone updated on whats going on.
Taking kids out by themselves. I like to surprise the kids by taking them out by themselves and letting them pick where to go. They really love this and they can be a little more nicer and willing to help out more when I do this.
What do you do to switch things up in your life? SocialMoms and Cottonelle want to know and they are giving away a $25 gift card! Stop by and find out how you can win at: http://littleswitches.socialmoms.com/about .
“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Cottonelle blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.” http://littleswitches.socialmoms.com/about

How do you keep your family happy?

2011-03-30T15:34:00.000-07:00

Raising a family is very hard. You need to make sure they are healthy and safe, but have you thought about how to keep them happy? I have been going through a "happy" crisis with my kids at the moment. I have a six year old and fifteen year old at home (my oldest that lives on her own is on her own for happiness-lol) . When you have a teen, happiness is so hard to come by these days. I've been trying to keep him happy lately by helping him with his new found interest- kickboxing. The cost of kickboxing can be a lot, but sacrifising so your kids are happy, is part of a parents job, isn't it? He's also discovered girls, so he has been wanting better clothes and contacts. Yikes! The thing is, I will do what it takes to help him through the dreaded teen years. I know they can be hard and can have lasting effects. My youngest is going through a boredom crisis, so we've been trying to find out what works to keep her happy as well. Summer is coming up soon and I dread having to find entertainment for her on a daily basis. Lately, I have found that she simply wants to spend more time with me. Simple, yet hard to come by free time when you have two businesses. We both like to draw, so I've found that is easy to fit in my schedule. I'm sure that lots of parents find it hard to find free time to keep their family happy. We did just take our first trip together in a long time. We didn't go far-actually, we even stayed in the same state. A little trip, but this was the best time we all had together in a long time. So, I guess sometimes happiness can cost you a lot in money, and other times, it doesn't cost you a dime to keep your family happy. Social Moms and Farm Rich want to know what you do to keep your family happy? They are even highlighting excerpts from your posts, tweets and tips to be collected and featured on http://farmrichsnacks.socialmoms.com, and distributed across the web for all to see! You can also have a chance to win $25 gift card from Walmart. “I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Farm Rich blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Redbox is cool!

2011-03-10T09:35:00.001-08:00

Have you heard about Redbox?

My daughter told us about this awesome way to rent movies. No lines. Convience. Cheap rental.

During St. Patrick’s Day month, Redbox is having a Lucky to Have Friends Like You promotion to give everyone a chance to find out how great they are!

Sign up here and spread the word about redbox and you'll earn a free online rental credit every time a friend rents online using your referral link through March 17th.

I am entering a giveaway for free redbox movies and movie snack packs as a member of the Mom Bloggers Club.

10 tips for getting away with great family travel deals.

2011-03-10T05:20:00.000-08:00

It's getting to that time of the year when we start thinking about vacations. Because of our schedules and limited time and finances, I have to get creative when it comes to saving money. This allows us to be able to give our kids the chance to get away once in a while.

Alamo and Social Moms have teamed up because they want to know how families beat the rising cost of everything and what deals they use to make it happen!

Here are ten tips I use to get away:

1. Go on off season. We always go off season when we travel. Especially when we go to Florida. November is the best month to go in my opinion. It's not as hot and the lines are shorter.

2. Use company deals. The company my mom worked for offers special deals to their employees. They also have nice suites and cabins at very discounted prices, which is very cool!

3. Online coupons. I love using the internet for deals. Check different travel sites to find packages.

4. Booking a package. Booking your rental car and flight together will save you tons!

5. Save up points. If you belong to My Rewards or other point rewards programs, you can save them up and cash them in at resturaunts and other places to shop while on vacation.

6. Miles. Use your frequent miles-everyone should know about this!

7. City deals. We will be going to St. Louis this summer and by checking online, I discovered that you can get a city membership/pass to go to different attractions at discounted price-oh yeah!

8. Groupon. This is becoming very popular. Check to see if you can get a deal for the place/attraction you want to go to.

9. Stay close. Going to a neighboring city will save gas and time. Find out what attractions are near to where you live and enjoy a vacation near home. Sometimes, these are more relaxing then going far away.

10. Free tickets. Buy one get one free tickets save a fortune, like Adventureland or places like that. Look at your local supermarket to see if they carry them.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Alamo blogging program, for a gift card worth $25.

What if you were abducted?

2011-02-28T13:33:00.000-08:00

What would your kids miss most about you if you were abducted by aliens?
When we started first seeing the commercials for Disney's new movie, Mars Needs Moms, I wondered if my kids would even notice I was gone. Then, I really started getting curious about what it was they would notice that I did for them. I always tell them that I do way too much for them and they could never survive without me (my husband included).

We started to make a game out of it, by having the kids not come and ask me to help them with anything that they might come across during the day. Boy, by the end of the day, they really realized how much they would miss me if I was gone-I would hope that a simple, I miss you cause I love you would fall in the equation.

Funny, that Social Moms and Disney would have a contest to do with what kids would miss if their mom was abducted by aliens. They are asking for moms to list ten things that their kids would miss if THEY were abducted.

Here are our top ten things your kids would miss most about you if you were abducted by aliens:

1. Making them after school snacks-it's not like I don't put fruit and Little Debbies in our cupboard and fridge for easy access.
2. Finding lost toys and other items-this is a big problem in our house. If it's not right in front of their nose, they can't seem to open drawers or lift anything to see.
3. Reading games- The littlest one cant fully read her games, so mom to the rescue.
4. Taking them to the store-dad could do it, but won't.
5. Cuddle with them before bedtime-awwwww!
6. Keeping fights at bay-they would kill each other if I wasn't here.
7. Helping with homework-or, should I say, DOING homework.
8. Hugs- That one was definitely just Emily. Maybe Jordon would miss them-maybe.
9. Feed the dogs-they would miss the dogs if they starved to death.
10. Make the best desserts-They love my cupcakes.

Do I have you thinking what your kids would miss? Ask them and see what they come up with!
“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here

Simple changes

2011-01-19T13:27:00.000-08:00

This year I wanted to change some things in my family's life to help make it better. I felt like we live a fast paced life and not the most healthy one either. I knew I had to do something when my son went as far as to have a teacher print out what healthy foods kids should eat. Oh boy what an eye opener! I knew I really didn't pay attention to our health, but I didn't know that my kids wanted to be healthier as well.

When I heard about Social Moms and Simply Orange wanting to know what simple changes people have been making in their lives, I had to get on board!

I didn't really want to make these New Year's Resolutions, just changing our way of life. Here are simple changes we made in our lives.

1. Change what we eat for breakfast. All of us either skip breakfast, or grab something fast. Usually, that meant a doughnut or fast food. Now, I make it a point to send the kids off with something nutritious, like an orange or oatmeal in a container that they can take with. On weekends, it's eggs and wheat toast.

2. Sit down for meals. Dinner was eaten in the living room in front of the tv. Now, we sit at the table, which allows us to spend time together to find out what the kids did at school.

3. Exercise. Another simple change was adding family exercising. Taking a walk together a couple of times a week allows us to spend time together and get in shape too!

4. Going on a budget. This may seem hard, but it was quite simple. Now, we have more money to spend on family night!

5. Be nicer. This is the most simple change you can do in your life. Being positive to others in your life can bring positive into your life. I've been trying to stop and take a breath before lashing out if I am in a bad mood. Not taking it out on others keeps you from feeling guilty later.

What simple changes would you make in your life if you could? Or, what changes have you made already? I would love to hear from you, or you can join Social Moms and list your own to win $25 Target card.

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Simply Orange® blogging program. If I am one of the first 65 blogs received by SocialsMoms, I will receive a $25 Target gift card and a gift pack that includes a Simply Orange® cooler bag and logoed fleece."

Possibilites

2010-12-16T12:23:00.000-08:00

I love this opportunity with Twittermom and Oprah!
Oprah wants to know what "your aspirations and plans for new possibilities in your life is". The Oprah Winfrey show is starting a new series called OWN. Oprah Winfrey Network is going to include specials on informing and inspiring people to live their best life they can. Its kind of like making a New Year's Resolution and doing it!
This is such good timing!
My aspirations and plans for new possibilities for the next year is going to be exciting! I am going to finally get brave enough to get serious with my photography business! I have been doing it on the side for two years now and never had the courage to branch out to do it full time. I love being an artist but never had the confidence to depend on my artistic ability to make a living. I hate what I do right now and have been depressed for some time, though my main business (daycare) has brought joy in the first coup[le of years of business. I had wanted to stay at home to be with my children, butI didn’t have the courage to take a chance doing something in the art field-my true desire. When I decided to do photography, I did it as a side business. That way, if I failed, I wouldn’t disappoint anyone (but myself) I had my ah ha moment and really just told myself that I'm going to do it. You only live once, after all!
I think this OWN will be such an inspiration for me and the fact it is starting the same time that I am is so cool. I feel the Oprah Winfrey Network will be holding my hand along the way. NOT to sound too dorky. Lol.
What would you do to change your life? Are you thinking about starting a new business? Getting married? Moving to your dream city? Let's all decide to take that scary but exciting step to change our lives for the best. Don't be afraid or negative anymore. I'm not and I'm very excited about it and by this time next year, I plan on having that successful photography business and all the perks that goes along with it, like being able to take time off to go to my kids schools for activities. I’m glad that I was able to write this post because I’ve been thinking about writing something about my plans for sometime now and this was the other little push to do it.Oprah Winfrey Network

The New Oprah Winfrey NetworkI wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network blogging program, for a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Hersheys is at it again!

2010-12-01T15:08:00.000-08:00

Hershey wants to know about who I would give a gift boxed chocolates to and why!

I would send a gift boxed chocolate to my daughters teacher, because she has been the kindest teacher that any of my kids have had. It's my daughter's first year at school and she was very nervous. Her teacher helped her adjust and now she is fine!

Who would you give one to?

A. Family

B. Friends/Co-Workers

C. Host/Hostess

D. Teachers

E. Service Providers (i.e. mailman, hairstylist)

F. Other – who did we miss?

Visit Celebrate with Hersheys today!

I am entering a contest for a Hershey’s Pot of Gold prize pack as a member of the Mom Bloggers Club.

A good cause-The Heart of Haiti

2010-12-01T14:53:00.000-08:00

Heart of Haiti is helping to rebuild Haiti through "Trade, Not Aid." This means that the Heart of Haiti is using commerce and culture to create social change. This won't just help one-time, it is creating opportunities for Haitian artisans to earn income by creating jobs and income for the people of Haiti.

Through the sale of Heart of Haiti products, artisans are able to be proud by earing income for themselves, their families, and their communities. The Heart of Haiti collection is an array of handmade products for the home -- quilts, metalwork, ceramics, and paintings -- created by Haitian artisans. Each item is designed by a Haitian master artisan and produced by hand in Haiti from recycled materials.

The Heart of Haiti collection has already led to employment of 350 artists in Haiti and has provided some financial benefits for an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people in the country.

What's great is, most items fall in the $25-$60 range-you can find them here at Heart of Haiti collection on Macys.com.

Please help spread the word about this amazing opportunity for Haitians!

I am writing this post to spread the word about Heart of Haiti through a Mom Bloggers Club member program and that you will receive a Heart of Haiti pendant as a thank you.

10 tips for smart holiday shopping

2010-11-16T16:55:00.000-08:00

Make your own gift paper.
There are so many cute craft papers out there these days. Save money on wrapping paper and make it more personable.

Draw names.
Christmas can be expensive if you have a large family. Suggest everyone put their names in a hat and draw names to pick for presents this year.

Take a break.
My favorite part of shopping is enjoying a treat for myself! Give yourself a well deserved spa treatment or pedicure. Buy yourself a new coat to wear while you shop for others. You'll feel less stress when you look your best!

Shop with a buddy.
Having someone with you can help you if you are in a jam for ideas. Two heads are better then one, especially if you need someone of the opposite sex to help find a present for husband, father, etc. Enjoy a nice cup of coffee at a local coffee shop while you are out.

Christmas doesnt have to be stressful.
Invite family members over and make hot cocoa and cookies. Have everyone bring a dish of some sort so you aren't doing all the cooking. This could be a good time to draw names for presents instead of having to buy for everyone.

Reuse gift bags.
I ALWAYS keep all the gift bags I get. Some are so pretty that I hate to reuse them! Pack any christmas bags you get this year with your ornaments and next year, you'll be so thankful that you saved money by not having to get new bags!

Vaseline is not just for babies butts

2010-10-28T15:31:00.000-07:00

Twittermom is at it again! They've teamed up with Vaseline to ask everyone what they use Vaseline for. Vaseline Petroleum Jelly is celebrating its 140th Anniversary and they would like to celebrate with their users. tweets and tips will be collected and featured on http://vaseline140.twittermoms.com/, and distributed across the web for all to see.

I personally use Vaseline every day to remove makeup and soften my lips, but there are so many more uses for it!

Here are my 10 tips for different uses for Vaseline:

1. Lip balm of course. It moisturizes and soothes chapped lips and makes them shiny.
2. Moisturizes dry skin- If your elbows are dry, you just need a dap of it.
3. Hand and feet moisturizer-it hydrates and smooths chapped hands and feet. Apply some petrolatum jelly to your hands and feet and then put on mittens and socks. Wait about 10-15 minutes for the vaseline to soak into the skin.
4. Put under eyes before applying cover stick. It will make makeup go smoother.
5. Eye makeup remover- removes stubborn mascara without irritating the eye area.
6. face scrub- mix petrolatum jelly with coffee grounds to make your own scrub.
7. Cream for night time. Warm up jelly a bit and apply to face.
8. Put some vaseline on the base of your nails will stop the color from running.
9. Use for shaving. Use a thin layer over legs before shaving for a smooth shave. Don't use water! 10. Use under blush for soft look. Apply lightly under jaw line.

Now, you need to let everyone know what YOU use Vaseline for. Get on board and blog 10 tips for what you use Vaseline for-it's great fun!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Vaseline blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Have you thought about changing your health benefits?

2010-10-26T16:37:00.000-07:00

My husband's insurance used to be awesome. We had great dental, which was very helpful since my youngest went through some expensive dental work. Then, when the recession hit, his company went cheap and which insurance companies. We had to make a lot of decisions and we were lost. It was scary and we didn't know what we should do. I hate the insurance we have now and if given a choice, I would love to change some things on our policy, starting with the premium we pay.

Have you ever thought about how your physical health relates to your financial health? Did you also know that you can give yourself a personal health care makeover in under sixty minutes? I never realized that just little changes to your health care plan could have a big impact on how your finances work. What's more important to you? What you pay for co payment? Or, going to a doctor without a referral?

Making health care changes is doesn't have to be hard. You just have to know what's right for your family. I got the chance to find out about how to get the most out of your health care here.
Somethings that I never thought about when deciding on how to put your health care package together.

Here are 5 tips for getting your health care plan in order.

1. Compare different plans and make sure you can afford the premiums that you have to pay in case of a health problem. You never know when the difference between a cheaper premium can be the difference between affording groceries or not.
2. Always ask for generic version of the prescription. Pharmacists don't automatically give generic drugs which can be very inexpensive.
3. Ask it your plan has preventive care that is included in your coverage. Health care plans that include free preventive care save more money in the long run for both patient and insurance provider.
4. Some offer prescriptions drastically cheaper if mailed to you. My mom gets some medicine for only $5.
5. The most important tip is to keep yourself healthy. Take care of your body and eat right will keep the doctor appointments at bay!

Take time to do a 60 minute health care plan makeover to help your finances get in check. Your family will thank you for it!

I would love to hear your ideas on a health care makeover that you could do for your family's finances. Leave a comment and let me know!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Aetna blogging program, making me eligible to get a $30 Target gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Trick or treating with Hersheys this year

2010-10-14T15:46:00.001-07:00

Hersheys and MomBlogger's Club want to know how I will be celebrating my Halloween this year. I LOVE Halloween, so this is easy!

We love to take one of the trick or treat nights to handout treats to the cute little trick or treaters. I lvoe chocolate, so we like to include Kit Kats in our bowl.

We always go to the pumpkin patch and pick out the best pumpkins to decorate. After we carve tm, we bake the seeds and eat them-yum!

I run a daycare, so we make up crafts and put them in bags with some sweet treats for the neighbors as well.

We also get lots of Hershey's candies and popcorn and watch scary movies all weekend long!

You can plan a great Halloween weekend as well! Visit :http://www.hersheys.com/celebrate/Halloween/ and check out their yummy recipes and ideas for some scary treats the family will love.

"I am entering a contest for a Hershey’s Halloween prize pack as a member of the Mom Bloggers Club."

Looking for a baby photographer?

2010-09-13T09:14:00.000-07:00

This is ironic to have this come along when I am turning to specializing in baby photography. If you have a little one and looking for a photographer who specializes in taking baby photos. BABYPHOTOGRAPHERS.COM is just the place to help you capture your baby’s best moments!

I surfed through this site and found lots of great photographers out there. Babyphotographers.com is a great resource for parents seeking information about baby photography. They have great articles on baby photography, featured baby photographers and they are even running a contest now that you could win $2,000 worth of baby photography!

The best part is I'm listed there as well!!

Check out this site and find the perfect photographer for your baby. :)

The Shox Scooter

2010-09-13T07:50:00.000-07:00

We finally received our Shox Scooter for Emily to try. It is made by Shred Sled- a company that specializes in extreme sport products for kids. We have been excited to get this toy to ride since she's been wanting one like her big brother's scooter.

This scooter is the first ever active sock absorber scooter-this means that kids are able to perform higher and faster tricks. NOT, that my Emily will be performing tricks any time soon.

This scooter is great for beginners and advance riders. We geared her up and let her try it out back at first. (sorry, I didn't get a a picture of her!) She got the hang of it quickly and the lightweight alulimum makes it easy for her to handle the turns.

I liked the foot surface and felt that it makes it easy for their feet to get a grip on it. Emily played on it to entire afternoon until I finally had to tell her it was time to go in.

If you are wanting to find the perfect scooter for your child, Irecommend the Shox Scooter.

Flavorful Low-Sodium Family Meals

2010-08-26T14:52:00.000-07:00

I'm sure that everyone has a bottle of Mrs. Dash Salt-Free Original Seasoning Blend. We use this with everything. Back when I was little, my mom would use the orginal blend. Now, you can find many blends, like Fiesta Lime, Garlic & Herb just to name a few. You can find many more here.

Creating "Flavorful Low-Sodium Family Meals" for my family is basically a daily happening. Using Mrs. Dash in in an assortment of recipes. I just can't see myself not using it. Three of my favorite recipes that includes Mrs. Dash's spices are meatloaf, scrambled egg burittos, and lemon pork chops.

Meatloaf:

2 lb ground beef
2 eggs
cup of bread crumbs
cup of Shredded cheese
1 chopped onion
Mrs. Dash Original Blend

Mix beef, eggs, onions together. sprinkle Mrs. Dash in mixture and place in cooking dish. Bake at 350 for 45 mins and add cheese and stick back in oven for another 5 mins.

Egg Buritos

5 eggs
cut up bacon (7 strips)
Diced tomatoes
Diced onoins
10 Burrito shells
Bagof shredded cheese
Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime

Lemon Pork Chops

4 Pork chops
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 stick of butter
Mrs. Dash Garlic blend

Check out the assortment of Recipes Mrs. Dash offers with the use of their products. There are over 429, though I am sure there may be some more out there that people haven't posted yet.
There are endless varieties of using Mrs. Dash seasoning blends to spice up any food. The reason I love Mrs. Dash seasonings is that they are salt-free. There is no medical reason why I don't use salt, I just choose not to. Mrs. Dash seasonings are all natural too. You have to love that.
Disclosure: I wrote this blogpost while participating in the Mrs. Dash and TwitterMoms blogging program for a chance to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

five simple things you can do for your child to help keep their smiles healthy and bright

2010-08-26T14:37:00.000-07:00

With school back in session, my thoughts were on keeping my kids teeth healthy. Twittermoms and Trident Sugar Free Gum are concerned about kid's teeth too! They are wanting to know what moms do to keep their kid's teeth healthy and strong.
Trident Sugar Free Gum was the first brand of it's kind to do studies which showed that those who chewed Trident experienced significantly fewer cavities.
Some interesting facts about Trident Gum:
Chewing Trident sugar free gum for 20 minutes after a meal can help fight cavities. Xylitol, a sugar free sweetener in Trident, has been shown to loosen plaque.
Trident is available in 11 great flavors so kids have lots to choose from!
Brush: Remind children to brush their teeth at least twice a day for two minutes each time, using no more than a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste.
Our favorite flavors are bubblegum, spearment, cinnamon, and fruit-plus a whole lot more. We make sure that we grab a pack every time we are at the store. I really feel that Trident helps in keeping cavities at bay.
With my youngest having lots of caveties due to nursing, I’m very concerned about taking care of the rest of her teeth since we went through a lot of dental work. Especially when her pernament teeth come in. I try different methods to keep her interested in brushing. When Trident wanted to know 5 ideas from me, I rushed to type mine!
5 Simple things you can do for your child to keep their smiles healthy and bright:
1. Don't forget to brush their teeth - It can be easy to forget to brush. Getting in a good habit of brushing is a great start.
2. Three times a day - You can't only brush once a day. Morning, noon and night time should be how often they brush.
3. Brush long enough - Have child sing the ABC song or Happy Birthday song to time how long to brush.
4. Make it fun - Let them pick out their toothbrush and toothpaste flavor. They will be more apt to brush more.
5. Make it a family event - Brush the same time that they do to show them that everyone needs to brush their teeth.
Have fun with this and make your own post on what you do to help keep your kid's teeth healthy.
“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Trident blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Five favorite family time ideas

2010-08-24T14:50:00.001-07:00

1.Game Night

With all the fun Wii games out there, we have found a common interest for game night. We also like to trow in board game night as well.

2. Baking night
We love to bake, so we pick a night to bake. Each kid takes turn picking our dessert each week.

3. Camping Out-inside
We like to play pretend camping since mom doesn't like to go outside. lol We set up the living room and cook smores in the microwave. It's fun! Fun!

4. Movie Night

Movie night is our favorite. We take turns picking out the movies and everyone gets snacks and we make a fun night of it.

5. Shopping Night

Yes, we have a shopping night. Everyone gets to go to the dollar store and picks out five things. The kids love it.

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and LEGO blogging program, making me eligible to get a prize pack. For more information on how you can participate, click here.” http://familytime.twittermoms.com/about)

Fracture Me!

2010-08-24T14:31:00.001-07:00

I just found out about a cool new way to print your photos-Fracture!

This picture prints out as a frame (on glass) and ready to hang!It reminds me of the canvas prints but made of glass instead. Just upload your photo and they do the rest.

This site is awesome and I am trying to be one of the first to review it and if I am among the first 100 participants, I will be writing a follow-up post about Fracture with my feedback after testing it out.

I am a photographer, so if this is something I like, I will be recommending it to my clients.

Check it out at http://www.fracture.com/ and try it out for yourself.

“I wrote this blog post in response to a TwitterMoms RAMBO alert, making me eligible to get a Fracture picture frame for review. You can learn more about Fracture at http://www.fractureme.com/.”

Ten ways to save for back to school

2010-08-12T12:21:00.001-07:00

Going back to school can be hectic but saving mone in the meantime can help relieve the stress!

Ten tips for saving money during the back-to-school season:

1. Plan ahead of time and make a list of stuff you need-don't stray from your list!
2. Look for sales. Sometimes waiting til the last minute may save you alot.
3. Look for rebates. Lots of stores offer rebates on products.
4. Check on internet for coupons.
5. Follow major stores on Facebook and other savings blogs to find out deals.
6. Buy in bulk.
7. Buy the year ahead of time. I've got lots of paper and folders that I bought last year after school started.
8. Stock up.
9. Go in with another parent and split cost.
10. Look for buy one, get one free items. We bought a backpack and got lunchbox for free

Staples is also offering a link to an exclusive 4 day coupon to Staples

Join Staples on Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/staples

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Staples blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Tips for getting your kids ready for school

2010-08-03T19:01:00.000-07:00

This school year is a special one for me. My youngest is starting school and my middle child is starting high school! Now, all my babies will be out of the house during the day. Boo hoo! Summer seemed to fly this year because I have been dreading the last of my kids to finally be going to school.

My going back to school to-do list is long. The kids are excited to get new school supplies, picking out clothes and my middle child is getting contacts-oh boy! Getting things under control will make your life easier. Try these ideas before you hit stores and you will be less stressed on the first day of school!

1. Review vocabulary words to refresh their memory. Reading stories with your little one will help get them ready to sit and listen to the teacher. Review other subjects as well.

2. Make appointments early to beat the rush. Doctor checkups and dental exams need to be done for school. Make them early and you won't be rushing around at the last minute.

3. Have a positive attitude about school. My kids are both scared this year because they both will be going to a new place. Let them know that it may be scary at first but after a couple of weeks they will be a pro!

4. Let them have a say. Don't pick out their clothes for them or their notebooks, etc. They will feel more confident if they feel "cool" in their clothes and more excited to start school if they have neat school stuff to show their friends.

5. Get in a routine early in the school year. Get clothes and books and lunches ready the night before so mornings are not chaos. They will go to school better adjusted and less stressed.

6. For little ones' just starting school, read books about starting school . HarperCollins Children’s Books is one of the leading publishers of children’s books. Respected worldwide for its tradition of publishing quality books for children, HarperCollins is home to many of the classics of children's literature, including Goodnight Moon, Where the Wild Things Are, The Giving Tree, Charlotte's Web, Ramona, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, the I Can Read! beginning reader series and countless award-winning titles. HarperCollins Children's Books is a division of HarperCollins Publishers, one of the leading English-language publishers in the world. Visit HarperCollins Children's Books at http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms blogging program to be eligible to get a HarperCollins book set. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Love my S'Mores with Hershey's Chocolate!

2010-07-22T09:53:00.001-07:00

Do you love S'mores? We do!
My family's favorite time for S'mores is during a backyard cookout.

We love getting the firepit going and roasting marshmellows and melting chocolate bars between the graham crackers.

How do you do your s'mores?

A. During a Backyard Campout

B. Inside on a Rainy Day

C. After School

D. During a Backyard Barbeque

E. Just Because

Visit: http://www.smoressmiles.com/ and find out about the best fun time dessert!

I was not compensated for this post-entering to win a contest through MomBloggersClub.

How do you get your kids to embrace summer reading?

2010-07-06T13:10:00.000-07:00

Have you been making sure that your children are reading this summer? With all the busy plans families make during the summer months, they forget to include reading in their daily activities.

We make reading fun during the summer with several activities based around reading. One activity includes signing up for the summer reading program at the library. The kids have fun checking out books and reading them, knowing that when they are done, they get a prize.

Another reading activity we do is pick out a book that involves nature, like a book about caterpillars for example. Then, we go to the park afterwards and look for some real caterpillars. They have fun finding caterpillars that look like the ones in the book.

Rewarding helps too. For every book they read, they get points to put towards a special trip or activity, like going to the movies.

You might want to try to find a movie that was based on a book. Then, go to the library and check out that title and see what is different from the book.

Reading is an important part of young children's lives. Something they can use for the rest of their lives.

What do you do? Wait, don't tell me, tell Twittermoms and HarperCollins (featuring the "I Can Read!" book series aimed at beginning readers). Twittermoms is running a contest celebrating the topic, "summer reading". Share your tips and tricks for getting kids to embrace summer reading. Go to their discussion page and enter to win a free "I Can Read" book! All you have to do is write a blog post in 400 or more words about how you get your kids to still read during the summer months so they don't get out of the habit of reading- an important skill!

I love the "I Can Read" series. I've used their books to teach my two older kids to read and I've started on my youngest (who is 5). They have different levels of books (which helps!) from Shared Reading to Advanced Reading. They have books with every character you can think of to please every child's taste. I really want the Dirt on my Shirt book that just came out.

"I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms blogging program to be eligible to get an "I Can Read!" book. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

A Day With Glue Dots: Summer Bonding Project

2010-07-02T10:13:00.000-07:00

I was given the opportunity to do a project using Glue Dots.

What are Glue Dots?

Glue Dots are a great and safe alternative to typical tapes and glue guns. They are versatile and work on a variety of surfaces including: paper/photos, metal, wood, plastic, textiles and fibers, plastic, foam, and more! Glue Dots are a no-mess solution to all adhesive or glue needs. Bonding instantly, they require no dry time and provide instant gratification for kids and adults. Glue Dots provide the strength you need in an adhesive without the mess and dry time of liquid glues.

I decided to do a Fourth of July craft project. I wanted to pick something that truly tested Glue Dots ability.

This paper wreath sure gave it a run for it's money!

You can make this yourself by taking a small paperplate and twisting 12 4x6 in red, blue, and white construction paper and taking the Glue Dots to hold everything together on the paper plate. When you are finished, cut out a star and glue that on front.

By making my project, I am in the running for some great prizes over at Twittermoms.

Enter yourself at TwitterMoms ,or see the cute projects!

You can find out more about Glue Dots and become a fan over here.

"I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Glue Dots blogging contest to be eligible to receive a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Five Fun Family Vacation Activities Your Kids Will Love

2010-05-18T10:49:00.001-07:00

Twittermoms is at it again! They are teaming up with Williamsburg Tourism and they want to know what five fun family vacation activities to do with your kids. I have many ideas, but here are my top five:
1. Go camping. All kids love camping. It gets you away from tv and video games. Reconnect with each other and don't forget the marshmellows!
2. Go to an amusement park. There are activities for everyone at amusement parks.
3. Spend a day around town. Explore your own town and see what it has to offer. Stay at a hotel to make it more adventurous.
4. Go hiking. There are wonderful vacation spots that offer hiking. Enjoy the earth!
5. Visit a beach. We used to go on vacations that included a day at the beach-how fun!

Now, go post about your favorite family vacation activities- click here.

"I wrote this blog post while participating in the Williamsburg Tourism and TwitterMoms blogging program for a chance to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Top 10 Creative and Affordable Vacation Ideas

2010-05-11T11:20:00.000-07:00

I used to take vacations all the time, but as my family grew, we find it hard to take vacations. These days, you need to get creative when you take a vacation. Twittermoms has connected with Toyota to find out what great ideas moms (or anyone) have to save money when vacationing.
Here are my 10 ideas on how to save money on vacations:

1. Go on off season. When we go to Disney World, we go in November. It's a great time to go, and they have specials on off season times.
2. Take your own food. Stock up on snacks and invest in ice packs and bring meals that you can eat along the way if you are traveling by car.
3. Find memberships/discount cards. If you frequent the same places, it pays to sign up for memberships or get discount cards.
4. Go with family. Make it a group trip and invite other family members to share the bill with when you can get a discount for large groups.
5. Stay local. Find out what's going on close to your city or state. You would be surprised what attractions are near you!
6. Camping. Camping is fun and very affordable!
7. Look online. Look online to find out if where you are going has a visitors website for deals and cheap attractions going on.
8. Make it yourself. Stay at a hotel that has a kitchen with stove and fridge. Stay in and cook instead of eating out while on your trip.
9. Volunteer vacations. A new trend for families to afford a vacation by volunteering their services while there.
10. Drive. Avoid taking an airplane if you can drive. Make sure you rent an efficient car to save on gas.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the Toyota Sienna and TwitterMoms blogging program for a chance to get a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Five Honey-do list

2010-05-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

Do you have a Honey-do list? I do!!! I actually have a huge list. When I saw this contest or at Twitter Moms, I knew it was right up my alley. TwitterMoms and ServiceLive are wanting to know five things on your Honey-Do list. ServiceLive is the first online marketplace that allows homeowners and businesses to name their price or request.
If I had to pick five things off my list, I'd have to choose these five.1. Finish redecorating my bedroom. I have been tired of the same look, and have been wanting to give it a whole new look.2. Remodel our bathroom. It needs new paint, new vanity, new mirror...Okay it needs gutted out!3. My kids rooms need finishing. My son's room is half painted. My youngest daughter's room still has Dora curtains up and she's out grown her years ago!4. Storage room needs totally cleaned out. I can barely step in to do laundry.5. Fix our leaks in basement. Yuck. Enough said.Now it's your turn!Visit TwitterMoms and complain aobut your list!Find a Local Contractor

Get a Contractor
“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and ServiceLive blogging program to be eligible to receive $100 in ServiceLive Bucks. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

A Fancy Nancy Party

2010-05-04T07:16:00.000-07:00

I love tea parties with my daughter! When I found out that Twittermoms was having a contest with Twittermoms and Harper Collins, for moms that want to throw a Fancy Nancy Poetry Party, I had to do it!I am in the planning stages for a Fancy Nancy Tea and Poetry PartyHere are my ideas: 1. Dress up. We have to get out the tiaras and tutus! We will have the girls come dressed up how ever they'd like.2. Bake some cookies. You have to bake cookies for your party! We will have the girls help and put lots of candy and sprinkles.3. Read our Fancy Nancy book. While our cookie bake, we will read our new book.4. Make up. With the parents permission, we will do each other's make up using play make up of course!5. Make friendship bracelets. Friendship bracelets are so fun to make!5. Poetry time. We will play rhyming games and come up with silly rhyming stories that we will write down and they can take with them.Fancy Nancy Poetry Party Ideas

Fancy Nancy Books

Check out Twittermoms Reading Page for more ideas!

Disclaimer:I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms blogging program to be eligible to get a Fancy Nancy prize pack. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Your Most Triumphant Outlet Shopping Story

2010-04-27T07:46:00.000-07:00

When TwitterMoms and Gap Outlet offered up a new "Share Your Most Triumphant Outlet Shopping Story," I knew I had a great story. You can try for a chance to tell your story here. We have an Outlet Center near us but not near enough. I love outlet centers and I have to tell my story on how I saved alot. I went to a Tanger Outlet Mall last year and really didn't know if I would be able to do very much shopping. I only had $100 to spend. We decided that each person could get one outfit and I was hoping to be able to hold on my promise. Long story short, not only did each of get an outfit (4 of us) we each got 3!Outlet Malls are great if you want to save a ton of money.So, go enter to win a $25 gift card for just sharing your story!Gap Twitter Discount

Exclusive Gap Outlet and Banana Republic Factory Store Savings Gap Outlet Offerings:
Gap Outlet is offering up to 50% off on select Summer Styles from April 23 until May 6th. They are also offering an exclusive coupon code to the TwitterMoms for an additional 15% discount on all purchases, with a minimum spend of $75. Starting April 26 through May 10.
Banana Republic Factory Store Offerings:
Banana Republic Factory Store is offering up to 50% off all women's clothes from April 30 until May 19th and an exclusive coupon code to the TwitterMoms community for an additional 15% discount on all purchases, with a minimum spend of $75. “I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Gap Outlet blogging program to be eligible to get a $20 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

10 Little Things that Lead to a Happier, Healthier You

2010-04-20T05:19:00.001-07:00

With a busy life, we all have a hard time to stop and take care of ourselves. I have been guilty of this and I've decided to do something about it. I've put together 10 tips to have a healthier life:
1. Exercise Daily.
2. Rest-the body heals its self while resting.
3. Eat healthy snacks-avoid the junkie food.
4. Eat your veggies-vegetables help prevent cancer.
5. Drink water-8 glasses a day keeps the doctor away!
6. Spend time outside-fresh air does a body good.
7. Spend time with family-lower your blood pressure by relaxing wit hyour family.
8. Take time to yourself-go to a spa or read a book.
9. Have a positive attitude-that positive stuff works.
10. Measure your food-smaller portions reduce chance of gaining weight.

Twittermoms is having a contest through Tropicana and you can enter too! Click here to participate.
"I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Tropicana Trop50 blogging program to be eligible to win 6 free Juicy Rewards points and a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Milan Maternity

2010-02-13T17:58:00.000-08:00

If you are expecting, you know that it can be hard to find pretty maternity clothes. I remember when I was pregnant, I found a couple of great outfits. When I visited Milan Maternity , I was in awe over their choices! My daughter is pregnant right now and I would love to have her try some of their clothes. Thats why I am entering Two of a Kind, Working on a full House's blog contest.

Win it.

Go to her blog and enter to win a $50 gift card!

Top Ten Vacation Tips

2010-02-09T06:47:00.001-08:00

This post is being written as part of a contest at Twitter Moms. Bloggers have been asked to share their tips for creating a fun family vacation that is free of distractions.
Travel Tips for Moms & Families

Reserve Now Quicksilver Online Check-in Pre-pay & Save Self-Service Kiosk
Here are my top 10.
1. Bring a DVD player-for the ride home. Spend the time going there, looking at all the senery.
2. Bring travel bingo. This is a fun game that includes the whole family.
3. Buy the one time use camera for everyone. This will make great photobooks afterwards.
4. Let everyone pick something to do and make a chart.
5. Be organized. Organization relieves alot of stress and makes it more enjoyable.
6. Make litle stops. Stopping at rest stops or little knickknack shops makes the trip more fun.7. No phones. Cellphones and teens spells STRESS for the familoy. Keep them at home.8. Don't watch the clock. Have fun and relax-you don't have to be world's best bvacation director. lol9. Bring stuff to do that each enjoy during downtime.
10. Go during off season time. Vacatons can be more fun when you aren't fighting the crowds.

Getting healthy and fit in 2010

2010-01-26T09:48:00.000-08:00

We all make some sort of New Year's resolution, whether is be to get healthy to finding a new hobby. At some point in our lives we have all made one to lose weight. This year my main resolution was to workout at least once everyday. SO far I've stuck with it and haven't missed a day. I'm shocked, yet very proud.I've also decided that I needed to break it down a little. Yes my main goal is to work out every day, but I thought I needed to make some smaller ones too.

1. Work out every day. Each morning I wake up a half hour than I used to to get in a morning workout. This way I know I will have time for at least 10 minutes. Mornings are hectic so it also gives me a chance to wake up and prepare myself for whats to come.
2. More sleep. Sleeping can actually be a way to lose weight. If you are tired, you tend to eat more. Really! I have added at least two more hours to my sleep schedule.
3. Portion control. I've been doing good with the portion control so far. I make sure my portions match my little ones. I won't go back for 2nds because by the time I'm done doing whatever, I'm not hungry anymore.
4. Spend less. Since we moved from the city to here, we fell in love with the fruit stands. We get all of our produce from there, along with a few other things. We spend a lot less on vegetables now than we were before we moved. This year one of my goals is to find healthy and cheap alternatives to things we already drink/eat. I found a recipe for home made V8 juice that I can't wait to try out. I'm also going to give making my own dried fruits a shot too.
5. Making it a family thing. The kids are already very active with sports and dance, but I'm hoping to make 2 weekends a month family time. Where we can go hiking, bike riding, skating, anything to get us out of the house but keep us moving at the same time.

Did you make a resolution this year? Have you stuck with it? Let me know, leave me a comment. Also check out TwitterMoms to read more posts on New Year's resolutions and a chance to win your own copy of Your Shape by Ubisoft

Cottonelle Contest

2010-01-14T17:01:00.000-08:00

Are you a team under or team over? Go to http://www.cottonellerollpoll.com/ and vote in the great debate whether you are team under or team over. I would have to be a team over! I have to have my tp go over-it drives me crazy!

Would you like to get involved in all this fun? Start by leaving a comment on this post, you will be entered to win 1 of 10 Cottonelle gift baskets randomly chosen on January 29, 2010 from all entries.

I am entering a contest for a month's worth of Cottonelle toilet paper as a member of the Mom Bloggers Club. I was not compensated in any other way for this review.

Hip and cool kids wear!

2010-01-14T10:58:00.000-08:00

Today's review, comes from Lollipopwear. This is actually my company and we carry hip baby, kids, and adult clothes.

Here are some examples of our cute clothes:

Earth revolves around me.

Biker Chick

Practise makes Perfect.

Our products have been in Celebrity gift bags and we are one of the original "Copyright" baby shirts.

Come visit our store at:

Lollipopwear

Robeez and kids that need shoes

2009-12-09T06:13:00.001-08:00

Many people are caught up in the Christmas season, wondering about how many presents they need to buy, if they will get that new computer they wanted, but alot of families don't have the luxury of doing that. Now would be a great time to think about how you can give back this season.
Our family is struggling along with others during this recession. We both work two shifts and feel lucky that we are able to have this opportunity! We show our gratitude by giving back to the community through Toys for Tots, Salvation Army and donating to charities when we purchase items at the store.
I wanted to let you know of a campaign going on right now through Twittermoms called K.I.D.S. (Kids in Distressed Situations). K.I.D.S give to children in need by providing new clothes, shoes, etc. donated by leading manufacturers and retailers. Now would be a great time to help a child by buying a pair of shoes from Robeez. For every pair of Robeez Soft Sole purchases, Stride Rite will donate that pair to K.I.D.S (Kids In Distressed Situations) through December 23rd.
Please check out Robeez Season of Giving for more information.

I have to tell you about my favorite pair of Robeez shoes. The Robeez Boots Dog & Bones - espresso/tan/red are sooo adorable! My little Zach would look so cute in them!
So, head on over there and get that special little one in your life a new pair of shoes!

Five tips or tricks to getting your kids to bed

2009-12-03T06:37:00.000-08:00

Now that my daughter just turned five, it's actually been harder to get her to go to bed, when I thought it would be easier. I've come up with some ideas how to help her ease into going to bed.

1. Set a routine. This takes practice and I know it can be hard reinforcing them but you need to stick to it.
2. Give them a warm bath. Lavender baby wash seems to help relax little ones.
3. Let kids unwind for 30 minutes. No tv or video games right before they go to sleep.
4. Get ready for bed. Getting PJs on might help them to know it's relaxing time.
5. Read to them. Reading a book can be fun and they might get sleepy in the process.
Now it's your turn!
Twittermoms and Drama U are having a contest!
So what are your tips and tricks to getting your kids to go to bed and stay there? Twittermoms and Dramu U would like to hear about your routine and will reward the first 100 bloggers who share their stories a pink Cozy! If you would like to participate yourself then, go here to read how to enter. Also the St. Eve Kids, Cozys are one size fits most little girls sizes between 6-9.
If you were wondering what Drama U was, they are a neat little website that allows you to submit a story and win a year's worth of St. Eve's clothing. Go check it out at Drama U.

Ho ho ho, It's Christmas time of year

2009-11-30T05:02:00.001-08:00

This holiday sesason, I'm sure most of us are trying to be creative in gift giving with alot of people being short on cash or afraid to over spend. I just want to be able to save on stuff so I can get everyone more stuff.
My favorite thing to do is catching the Black Friday specials and looking online for deals. I think this actually saves time, but next year, I'm going to start hitting deals early during the year and not wait until November to start saving, then I will have all the time in the world while others scramble-I'm so mean! lol
I've personally been trying to win some prizes to help out for the holidays, and let me tell you i've actually had a bit of success. Speaking of winning check out Twittermoms and be one of the first 50 bloggers to share your money saving tips and you could win a $25 gift card to Staples and also an additional chance to be randomly selected to win one of ten for $100. Also be sure to check out
Staples website for some additional holiday money saving deals.

Deals for Busy Moms This Holiday Season

Check out This Week's Deals!

About this TwitterMoms Blogging Program

Win Consumer Reports Best Baby Products book

2009-11-28T17:27:00.000-08:00

As part of Team Mom, I recently was contacted about some helpful information for moms of infants that I'd like to share with you. Most of us already know that breast milk is best for babies, but for moms who either can't breastfeed or choose not to for various reason, formula is the staple of these babies' nourishment. Using store-brand formulas can save up to 50% off of brand-name prices.

According to Dr. Barbara Levine of Weill Cornell Medical College, Buying a heavily marketed, expensive brand-name formula from a big pharmaceutical company does not get your baby any closer to human breast milk than a store brand formula. Mothers can choose to supplement their breast milk with any formula because all formulas are regulated by the FDA and nutritionally equivalent.

Consumer Reports Best Baby Products, 10th Edition book cites the nutritional and monetary value of switching to store brands.

Looking for formula coupons?

Just visit the Store Brand Formula Website and print some to help you save money at lots of retail locations.

To get a heads-up not only on baby formula but on hundreds of other baby products, check out the Consumer Reports Best Baby Products, 10th Edition ($16.95). This 368-page book is a great resource for all kinds of baby items, tested to the strident standards of Consumer Reports.

Want to win one?
To enter:

Visit and leave a comment about why you'd like to win this.

Extra Entries (leave a separate comment for each one):
Follow me on Blogger
Follow @sixfeetunder on Twitter and tweet this giveaway, leaving a link to your tweet in the comments.

You can tweet once per day (leave a comment each day).

You must do the first entry in order to enter ("I want to win, thanks!" comments will NOT be considered).

You will have until Saturday, December 5th to enter. The winners will be chosen via random number generator the next day and notified by email. I'll also post the winners on my blog HERE. If I don't hear back from the winner within 72 hours, I'll pick another.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this review, but am participating as a Team Mom member.

Sesame Street K'Nex and 400 Pieces Tub

2009-11-24T05:18:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to review Sesame Street K’nex. Sesame Street is HUGE in my house. There are four Sesame Street K’nex sets in all. The set we received featured Elmo as a ice cream truck driver. He is made of K’nex pieces – three per character. There is the head, body w/arms and bottom w/feet.
The set is designed for children between the ages of 2 and 5.
Building the truck was fun and relatively easy. We followed the directions, my oldest (5 years old) handing me pieces. It was easy to do and I think my grandson will soon be able to build these.
The four Sesame Street Neighborhood Collection Building Sets are:
Ice Cream Truck – Comes with Elmo. Truck has wheels to be pushed and rolled. ($9.99)
Police Station Building Set – comes with Elmo and Ernie ($19.99)
1-2-3 Brownstone Building Set – comes with Elmo and Cookie Monster ($19.99)
Police Car Building Set – Comes with Elmo. Car has wheels to be pushed and rolled.($9.99)
The pieces are big and chunky, similar to Duplo Legos. This reduces the chance that a small child can swallow a piece.
Overall, I love everything about this set. I do want to see more sets with more characters, like the Count, Bert, Big Bird and more. I think the character sizes are great and Sesame Street really makes an impact on young children.
WIN – WIN – WIN
Right now there is a Make a K’NEXion video contest going on. All you have to do is make a video that your child’s K’nex building skills and features your child building with select K’NEX products. Be creative, use your imagination, construct your own story – as long as the video features building with K’NEX the possibilities are endless. Official rules are available at Knex.com.
The ten best videos will be featured on KNEX.com and one winning video will receive $1,000 worth of K’NEX toys.
Contest Dates: November 4th – December 7th, 2009
WIN – WIN – WIN
Right now there is a Make a K’NEXion video contest going on. All you have to do is make a video that your child’s K’nex building skills and features your child building with select K’NEX products. Be creative, use your imagination, construct your own story – as long as the video features building with K’NEX the possibilities are endless. Official rules are available at Knex.com.
The ten best videos will be featured on KNEX.com and one winning video will receive $1,000 worth of K’NEX toys.
Contest Dates: November 4th – December 7th, 2009
To enter: Post the video on your own blog or website and submit the link along with a completed entry form (available at Knex.com) to knexvideocontest@knex.com. You can also submit a video if you do not own a website or blog, just visit the KNEX website for full details.
I would love to see your entries too! If you enter, let me know where to look!
The Mom Buzz received the Police Station Building Set from Team Mom to review. This is my opinion and thoughts on the products. To learn about other Buzzworthy Products and enter Hot Contests, be sure to look through the rest of the site.

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I also received a K’NEX 400 piece tub free of charge from TeamMom to review. I’ve never purchased K’NEX so it was totally new to me and my family. My son loves to put things together and create new items. He was excited when he saw what it was and wanted to build something immediately especially since the idea book that is included had a model of a truck on it. The booklet actually contains step by step instructions for 20 different models.

e truck we made, is that the wheels actually rolled like a real toy car. It wasn’t just a model that would just sit on a shelf, he could continue his imaginative play (another skill) with it also. K’NEX provides wheels on cars, propellers on airplanes, the ferris wheel and merry-go-round models spin. So after they build they can play with what they built.
Great thing too is that if you already have Lego’s or other K’NEX sets you can combine them and expand on your building system.
Clean is easy. Although the pieces are small (age range 7 and up) clean up is easy. The storage tub contains 400 pieces but can hold so many more. In fact, if you start a project but don’t get to finish it in one sitting, simply place it in the tub along with all the other pieces. There’s plenty of room for it all. And if your child wants to take it over a friends house to play with, just drop it all back in the tub and snap on the top and it’s ready to go!
The suggested retail price is $20.99 but for 400 pieces that’s a pretty great deal. It’s available at Target, Wal-Mart and Toys “R” us. If you’d like more information check out KNEX.com oh and while you are there make sure you check out the Make a K’NEXion video contest.

*Disclaimer – Product was provided free of charge by TeamMom. This review is my honest opinion of this product.

Dora Christmas

2009-11-24T05:01:00.001-08:00

My daughter loves Dora. She has everything Dora, down to the underwear.Her favorite thing about Dora is when she does Holiday things, which brings me to Christmas.We have 5 things that we like to do around Christmas time. I like to instill traditions, and I hope that my kids will carry it on to their families.What are they, you ask?Well, I'm gonna tell ya!The first tradition we do is putting our tree up at Thanksgiving. I love to have it up to start the holiday.Our second is to change the colors for our Christmas tree every year. I know, it's crazy, but it keeps it fresh and it's fun voting on what colors.Our third is, we make a gingerbread house and "eat" it on Christmas eve-usually, there isn't much we can eat because it's hard as a rock!Our fourth tradition would be that we make cookies and invite the family over for cookies and hot cocoa.Our last tradition is, that the kids get to go to our Festival of Trees and we vote on our favorite.Now that I'm all in the festive mood, I'd like to tell you about Dora's holiday special coming this season.We are looking forward to it and so should you! Watch Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure Dec. 6 on Nickelodeon

Favorite Holiday Activities with Kids

My dream bedroom

2009-11-03T04:43:00.001-08:00

My dream for a make over bedroom is not for me, but for my youngest daughter, Emily.
Since my youngest was born, I spend most of my time having to go into her room because she's scared, or scared, or scared. I've tried everything to get her to not have to have anyone in her room to go to sleep at night. Nothing has worked.
Her fifth birthday is coming up and we (Emily and I) agreed that she would no longer need her mommy in her room since she will now be a big girl. How awesome would it be to give her the best reward ever by redoing her room as a reward?
Her bedroom is so mismatched from changing it over the years. We never totally change the theme, but just get a new comforter here and a new poster there. She now has a Dora, Princess, Hello Kitty and glow in the dark skeleton stickers room. (we are also changing it from paneling to white walls which will be SOOO nice!)

I found out that Vision Beddings are having a contest right now to help someone's dream bedroom wish come true! How fun would it be to be able to do that for her! AND, the contest ends on her birthday-November 17th-is that a sign or what?

I was looking through the site and found some great ideas. Here's a thought on the bedding:
http://www.visionbedding.com/Bedding/Daisy.php
They have wall hangings and pillowcases and all sorts of bedroom products that will make a room look "put together". Something my little girl needs!
You can blog and try to win too!
http://www.twittermoms.com/forum/topics/all-i-want-for-christmas-is
This could be fun! Hurry, though, if you want to try to win some of their other prizes too!

My favorite drink!

2009-11-02T06:37:00.001-08:00

With the holidays approaching, I love to make mix drinks that say "Holiday!" A yummy drink that I love Peppermint Twist:
Ingredients
1 oz.
Peppermint Schnapps
1 oz.
Kahlua®
1 oz.
Brown Creme de Cacao
DirectionsFill a shaker half full with ice cubes. Pour all ingredients into shaker and shake well. Strain drink into a Cocktail glass and serve.
Try this drink and comment on what your favorite seasonal drinks are!
Lenox & TwitterMoms Drinks of the Season

More Drinks of the Season Recipes

Little Blends yogurt

2009-09-22T04:42:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for some way to hide vegetables in my youngest child's meals. She isn't too bad about eating them but alot of the time, they sit there on her plate.
I really am not good about sneaking anything into their diet. I've tried smoothies and they go Yuck! I've tried hiding corn under ranch dressing-they go Yuck! I've been at my wit's end over it.
When I was introduced to Little Blends, an all-natural yogurt blend that included fruits AND veggies, I was thrilled! This reminds me of how they do the baby food but with flavor!
I'm also excited to find out about the contest they are holding right now at Twittermoms:
http://www.twittermoms.com/forum/topics/sneaking-fruits-veggies-into

The first 100 bloggers to enter the contest will win a Thermos snack jar to keep their cool snacks fresh for on-the-go, plus a coupon off Horizon’s new Little Blends yogurt. Participants will also receive a second prize pack to give away to one of their own readers. Isn't that awesome with a capital A?!
So, get your butt over there and win one to try and let me know what you think!

The Gap Outlet

2009-09-11T04:31:00.000-07:00

I totally love Gap Outlet stores. When I need a a cute outfit for my daughter who is 4, I look to Gap Outlet for a bargain for young children but not cutting on style and quality. They always have a new line of quality clothes coming out and when I need to find something stylish, I check them out first. I dont have $50 to spend on one outfit. I need to get at least 2 to 3 outfits for that money and they have just what I'm looking for!
Twittermoms is having a contest right now too and you can be a part of this too. The first 50 bloggers to blog about Gap Outlet win a prize and they also have a coupon that you can use too-just click here to visit.
Would you like to save too? Check out Twittermoms and GapOutlet site for discussions and savings also.

Gap Outlet - Semi-Annual Baby Sale

TwitterMoms Exclusive: Gap Outlet Semi-Annual Baby Sale Savings!

One hour parties

2009-08-25T04:44:00.000-07:00

I just got wind of a cute idea called, One Hour Party.
Do you love to throw a party but don't have time to put everything together? It seems like in today's world, we have less and less time to get the little things planned. I would like to be able to put together something in a snap that looks cool too. I needed to put together a little get together for the girls the other day and I wouldve loved to of known about the Cheese & Cracker Tray What a fantastic and easy way to to supply snacks for them!
Maybe you're thinking of starting a business? They have that too! Check out their franchising opps here.
They are your one stop party supplies place that does all the hard work for you. We all need that in our lives these days. So, head on over and check out their sundae party pack-that sounds soooo good!

Bugsby's Great Adventure

2009-08-06T04:35:00.000-07:00

Bugsbys great adventure is the most coolest review Ive done! http://www.vtechkids.com/bugsby/
What an interesting and fun thing to do with your child! Emily was excited to do a funny story though she wanted to do a scary one first. She loves to tell stories, so it wasn't hard to use her imagination. I love the expressions on her face while she told the story and she already said she wanted one of the other story adventures. Now I know what she's getting for xmas!
Right now they are holding a contest for us moms at http://www.vtechkids.com/bugsby with lots of prizes and a chance for our story to be publised!
I really think it would be cool if ours would get published because she totally takes after her mom, who loves to write adventure stories and we always make up stories before she goes to bed and how cute would that be to have one published!

Click on this and vote for us!

Master Lock-for kids!

2009-07-24T04:42:00.000-07:00

Now that my son is in Junior High, more responsibilities come with the nervousness of being with the big kids. We now have to get a lock for his locker. I found out about these cool new locks and I wanted to let you about.
Master Lock is introducing a brand new technology with two new families of patented combination locks –
1500iD Speed Dial™ Set-Your-Own Combination Lock
1590D Set-Your-Own Combination Lock
Both of these locks were designed with students’ unique learning styles in mind

The Speed Dial Set-Your-Own Combination Lock opens on up-down-left-right directional movements, instead of the traditional rotary dial, and can be customized with letters, shapes or numbers, depending on how students most easily remember their combination.

The Set-Your-Own Combination Lock is a traditional rotary dial for students more comfortable with that method, but with a new reset feature that allows them to choose their own combination using, letters, numbers or both.
You need to visit their site and see just how cool these are!

Oh, and a very cool feature your child will love is a Facebook app called, “Master Lock Secret Vault”. They will be able to keep their secret code safe and secure. They also will have a chance to win a cash prize in the “Master Lock $5,000 Secure Your Future Sweepstakes” just for signing up for it!
To get more information click here!

Chain of Confidence

2009-07-15T04:38:00.000-07:00

I found out about Tupperware's Contest today to write an essay onto Chain of Confidence. It's a awesome site that allows you to nominate a person in your life that has motivated you or is your mentor. I nominated my mom. I think that what Tupperware is doing is an awesome thing and plus who wouldn't want to win $5000 to be donated to a charity in your name? And each winning pair will receive a $1000 Gift Card to spend with Tupperware! But this experience with posting the essay was super easy and the site is easy to navigate around. I hope she wins! Here is their link:
Chain of confidence.

http://www.chainofconfidence.com/index.php?page=essay-display&essayid=33

Responsible Sports

2009-06-24T05:02:00.000-07:00

My daughter and son need a sport to play. I have my daughter in dance and she loves it but wants to get into karate. My son, on the other hand, doesnt care for sports and WE want him to get into karate to build self confidence and for the physical exercise. When I came across Responsible Sports, http://responsiblesports.com/ it made me think about what sports and kids entails. Theres more to it then just playing a game. It builds responisibility and self esteem. This site gives you the tools to become a responsible sport parent. They also have a community for other parents to talk about their sporting related topics. So, why not head on over to their site if you are a sport parent and find out how you can get more involved in your sport child's life!

Baskin Robbins, here i come!

2009-06-24T04:48:00.000-07:00

I love Baskin Robbins!
I cant get enough of their ice cream cakes or their Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cup on a cone. With the summer so hot, ice cream seems to hit the spot.
I can even remember when I was a little girl and we would go to Baskin's to get a dip with my mom on Sunday's after church and before we went shopping. When I think ice cream, I think Baskin Robbins over all these other new ice cream places. They are a true reminder of my childhood and I want my kids to have that memory too!

Why not try an ice cream cake for your child's next party? You'll be a hit with their creamy outside and the cool delious ice cream cake on the inside. I'm getting all hungry thinking about it!

So, head on over to Baskin Robbins today when that heat starts rising-your kids will thank you!

Helpers Market

2009-05-20T04:48:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered how people connect with people to buy/sell stuff? We all have a network of people. Why, your dad, mom, brother Alex, cousin Joe and his wife Jane are actually considered a network. It's as simple as that.
Helpers Market is aware of that too. That's why they've come up with a way for you to access your network and help others-all while getting paid to do so!

It' really a 3 way win opportunity. "Posters" have a place to list the item they want to sell. "Helpers" can earn an income for helping someone find a buyer. "Buyers" get that much needed product. Helpers Market just helps both parties find a virtual meeting ground.

How it works:
Posters ask Helpers to help them sell an item.
Helpers use their network of people to find a buyer.
If Helper finds a buyer and the sale goes through, Posters give Helpers a finders fee.

It's very simple! So, if you are looking to sell something or buy something, head on over to Helpers Market and go for it!

Margaritas and Cinco de Mama!

2009-04-27T06:29:00.000-07:00

Do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo? I am going to this year! I just heard about the TwitterMoms “Cinco de Mama!” Margarita Twitter Party and Jose Cuervo will donate $1 to RADD (formerly known as Recording Artists, Actors and Athletes Against Drunk Driving) for every retweet that day. Up to $2,500! So please join in and retweet from time to time to support this great cause.

I'm going to give you a special treat and let you in on my favorite margarita recipe-yum!

Strawberry margarita
Ingredients
1 lime
1 navel orange
2 tablespoons Triple Sec
2 tablespoons Jose Cuervo Especial tequila
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 cup strawberries
1 cup ice

Directions
Put lime juice, orange juice, liqueur, tequila, powdered sugar, strawberries and ice in a blender and blend to your liking. Rub the rims of two cold margarita glasses and dip the rims in sugar to coat. Pour in mixuture and add a lime wedge.Serve immediately.

When should you give your child a cell phone?

2009-03-30T04:57:00.000-07:00

This has been the talk among parents recently and I am in the same situation. With a 13 year old that's been begging me to get him a phone, I'm faced with the question, "When is it OK to give your child a cell phone?"
I think it depends on each individual child. A cell phone is a big responsibility and even an adult can find themselves getting in trouble with going over minutes and racking up a big bill. If you feel that your child is showing responsibility with chores and being wise about different tasks like how they spend their allowance, then maybe they can handle the responsibility of having a phone.
But no matter how responsible, they still need rules set for them:
1. Draw up a contract- List what you expect from them and the limits of their cell phone. Include them if you'd like, but don't put anything that you are not comfortable with.
2.Set a limit on how many text messages during the week- Most phones keep a record of how many texts have been used. Set up a punishment if they go over like they have to pay for any text over the agreed amount.
3. Limit talk time-limiting their talk time to one hour per night is a reasonable amount of time. This also saves you money if your plan has free nights.
4.Homework must be done before any talking or texting- Most schools do not allow the use of phones during school, so you shouldn't have a problem with them using their phone during school time.
5. No browsing the Internet- a definite rule for every child!

Having a cell phone can teach your child to be responsible and something that they will use in other aspects in life. Don't forget to praise them for following the rules and help them to continue succeeding!
Looking for a good kid friendly cell phone company? Visit www.kajeet.com for great plans.

Hip Hop Baby Dvd Series

2009-03-19T06:50:00.000-07:00

If you want a great video series that will get your kids off their duff and exercising, Hip Hop Baby is the video series for you! It is for ages 2-6, and I have a four year old that can prove it!

There are 4 DVDs so far in the Hip Hop Baby Series. Each DVD encourages physical activity. It can also teach kids to follow instructions by the songs topics like, healthy eating, exercise, ABCs, numbers, and even animals. Each child was able to do their own dance while they were singing the songs. The songs aren’t annoying like some kid songs can be. Kids sing songs like Head Shoulders Knees & Toes and there were some new songs too. The DVDs are about 30 minutes long, which is perfect for all attention spans.

So, get on the ball and order a Hip Hop Baby dvd for your little one today!

http://www.itshiphopbaby.com/

Fairfield Bathrooms Direct

2009-03-07T11:19:00.000-08:00

I love to look in magazines and on the internet for ideas to remodel or decorate bathrooms. There are so many ways you can make your bathroom look awesome, it's hard to choose from. I just recently came across Fairfield Bathrooms Direct online and found many neat bathroom remodeling ideas!

There are many brands that they carry and I just love this dual control two taphole bath filler by Ideal Standard Bathrooms.

They also have lots of other bathroom accessories from soap dishes to towel racks. These seem to be more on the modern side which looks very sleek in bathrooms and give an added value.

I'm very into cool mirrors and this site carrys lots of modern mirrors with backlighting and sleek shapes.

If you are looking to add a shower, you've got to check out the Kudos shower line- they are not your ordinary shower units! They have curved styles and walk ins that are to die for!

So if you are in the process of remodeling or just looking to replace a few hardware in your bathroom, visit this site and find your dream bathroom.

http://www.fairfieldbathroomsdirect.co.uk/

Bella Sara

2009-03-05T07:42:00.000-08:00

I do not know if you've heard of trading cards for girls, but there is a new company called, Bella Sara. Bella Sara is centered around horses and I love horses! In the pack there were tattoos, stickers, five cards and a mini game. Each card has a positive message under a picture of a horse and a code to unlock a special "treasure".
Bella Sara is not just about trading cards. They have these tiny horses that are part of thier Miniature Series. They are so cute! They are made of this really soft velvet and are tiny and there is even a little stand for it.
You get to pick your own login name and it was pretty easy to navigate through the site. There is a lot to do at BellaSara. Kids get to take care of their horses, print pages to color and read stories. Bella Sara Treasures is the eighth series of the Bella Sara trading cards line.

Right now through April 30th, Bella Sara is having a contest where kids can win a Treasure Hunt Party.
I would like to thank Team Mom for this review opportunity.

Five tips for making sure your kids are getting the important vitamins and minerals they need for strong bones

2009-03-04T04:46:00.000-08:00

I heard about this contest over at Twitter Moms sponsored by Wellesse. For every blogger that enters this contest, they win a free bottle of Liquid Vitamin D!

I've listed my five tips here:

1. Include a multi-vitamin daily. Pretty much any chewable vitamin passes the test flavor test these days. Check to make sure there's plenty of Vitamin D.

2. Make sure you don't forget the greens. The more colorful, the better. Vegetables are a GREAT source of Vitamins A,B,C and D.

3. Play outside. The sun is a natural source of vitamins and makes them in a better mood.

4. Breast feed! Start out right by nursing for as long as you can.

5. Don't forget about the dairy. Whole milk provides Vitamin D and helps keeps their bones healthy!

What are your top five tips for making sure your kids are getting the important vitamins and minerals they need for strong bones?

Qlubb

2009-01-22T16:38:00.000-08:00

I was asked to review a site called Qlubb.com. I didnt think I needed it since I use other groups to let people know about things going on. I found Qlubb to be easier to use than those alternative solutions. While it has the group email capabilities like the others, it also has shared sign up sheets, photo sharing, member roster, file sharing and much more.
If you have a big family with lots of events, this online tool is perfect for you. You can upload photos from a family reunion, wedding or any event that the rest of the family that may be spread across the country wouldnt otherwise be able to enjoy privately. Do you have a playgroup, church group, sports team, book club, or any group event that you help organize meetings? You can now email your whole group about upcoming events invidually or as a group with a group login and password or with individual ones.
So, try it out-did I mention it's free??

Holey Donuts!

2009-01-15T07:48:00.000-08:00

Do you love donuts? Krispy Kremes? Dunkin' Donuts? I think we all love donuts but don't love the calories or high fat content. Well, you won't have to give up donuts anymore-not with Holey Donuts!

Holey Donuts! have less than 3 grams of fat and you know why? Because they aren't deep fried. Yep, that's right. A donut that doesn't have all the yucky old oil soaked into it. These donuts are not like any others around!

Holey Donuts! so graciously let me review their vanilla crumb flavored donut and I was excited! I have to admit that at first I wondered how do donuts arrive in the mail and how on earth are they prepared to be delivered this way? So, when I opened the mailing box and took one of the donut boxes out and read the directions than I was REALLY hesitant. It said to just put it in the microwave. I was like, NO WAY. Just microwave it? Ok, I'm game. So, I put one of the yummy looking donuts on a plate and did as the directions said and when the microwave beeped, I could already smell the delicious aroma of these glazed jewels.

I got out a fork-yes, a fork. These are gourmet donuts didn't you know? I took a bite and I was hooked. This donut was the best and low in calories and fat? How can you beat that?Realizing that this donut was vanilla flavored and tasted so good I had to see what other flavors they have. I quickly jumped onto the computer to find out and as I looked through the list, I did the high five at the computer monitor and yelled, YES- THEY HAVE CHOCOLATE FLAVORED DONUTS! Don't like chocolate? Ha,ha. Sorry, hard to ask that. Well, they have lots of other flavors and even cinnamon rolls!

So, my advice is for you to order a bunch and store them in your freezer and when you have one of those days when you just need to satisfy that sweet tooth without guilt, they'll be right there for the picking.
Order a dozen at:

http://www.holeydonuts.net/

Early Start Books

2009-01-09T20:36:00.000-08:00

I was given the opportunity to review a couple of books from Early Start, a slide book of numbers and a flip-flap book of fruit.

These books are not like other books in the sense that they give parents ideas to help teach their child their numbers, colors and alphabet. I'm always wondering what more I can do to keep my daughter interested and get the most out of our reading time together.
These are sturdy and derable, not like other books I have purchased in the past.
They even are in Dr. Toy's 100 best children's products and are very affordable at only 6.99 a book.
My daughter keeps her books next to her bed and we have lots of fun going through the activities and helping hand ideas.
Visit their site at:
http://www.earlystartchild.com

The Critter Conga

2008-12-18T20:03:00.001-08:00

The Critter Conga by Parents arrived on our doorstep last week and all I can say is it's made my daughter discover music! We were thrilled to receive a musical toy and I really love Parents toys. I think they are different from other types of toys. They just remind me of an old fashion type of toys. The Critter Conga is geared toward toddlers and my four year old loved the drum that came with it. Each musical instrument is animal themed and so adorable. It comes with two giraffe maracas, a twister hand drum, one capuchin monkey rainstick, one crocodile cabasa & clicker, one elephant head whistle, one gazelle whistle, one toucan whistle and two snake drumsticks. You can store them in the large leopard conga with 10-bell tambourine lid. This musical toy can be purchased at Costco or other retailers.
An awesome idea for Christmas!

Extrabux

2008-12-15T06:16:00.000-08:00

When given the opportunity to review Extrabux.com , I was thrilled to be able to voice my opinion. This is online shopping portal that directs you to different shopping places and guess what? You get to earn money for buying stuff! I've seen one of these before and these type of sites are awesome!

You start by registering (for free) to Extrabux.com and then you just go shopping! You can earn up to 30% at over 800 popular stores like, Avon, Zappos, Walmart and even Dell. Each store has their own payback % and they list the most popular and probably the highest paying store in a special catagory to make it easy for you.

They also have a referral program that earns you $5 for every person you send over. Thats a whole lot of reasons to shop through them. Feeling like giving? Extrabux.com also has an option to give part or all to the charity of your choice. How cool is that?

Now, what are you waiting for? Do that last minute shopping for Christmas and get some money back for it!

Delgo Movie

2008-12-09T17:35:00.000-08:00

This was an interesting type of review. I was asked to watch a trailer of the upcoming movie Delgo. Animated fast-paced action and adventure in a mystical land with a hero, a princess and the message they try to get across- which all kids movies try to do- is about acceptance between different cultures. Family friendly of course, this film is great!

The story takes place in land of Jhamora, which is divided between two cultures- the Nohrin and the Lockni. When Delgo (Lockni teenager) becomes forbidden friends with the Nohrin Princess Kyla, things become bad in the land of Jhamora. The exiled empress takes advantage of the hostiles between the two enemies and seeks revenge to take her place back in power once again. When Delgo and his best friend Filo are false imprisoned they must put aside their differences and join forces with a sworn enemy Bogardus, and travel to Perran to help rescue Princess Kyla.

Delgo is scheduled to be released in theaters December 12th.

There even are well known voice cast:
Freddie Prinze Jr- Delgo
Jennifer Love Hewitt- Princess Kayla
Anne Bancroft- exiled Empress Sedessa
Chris Kattan- Filo
Val Kilmer- Bogardus
Lou Gosset Jr- Nohrin King
Micheal Clark Duncan- Lockni Stonesage Council
Kylly Ripa- Kurin
Burt Reynolds- Delgo's Father
Sally Kellerman- Narrator

Check out the trailer HERE .

Bella Sara Cards

2008-11-06T05:31:00.000-08:00

World of Bella Sara

What a neat idea to have trading cards be the key to collecting beautiful horses on an online horse stable!

A fun and magical place full of beauty and a safe place to play online. There are games, puzzles, and activities for you to enjoy with your favorite horses.

How it works:

You Collect your Bella Sara Cards, activate them online and play the interactive games, puzzles, and activities. Each card has it's own code that you use to activate online playing.

You can play with your horses, put them in their stables, feed them, brush them and pretty much what you would do with a real horse.

This can even be done by a three year old and my daughter loves it! She likes to carry her cards around in her purse to show her friends. The cards are very pretty and you can get lost in how magical they look.

A great Christmas present idea for anyone looking for something new.

So get your behind over there and buy some!

Doodle with the Aquadoodle

2008-10-31T05:58:00.000-07:00

The Aquadoodle Draw n' Doodle Mat.

We had purchased the Aquadoodle awhile back and lost the pen, so when I received another one from Team Mom, I was so happy.

The best feature is definately, NO MESS!

The Aquadoodle is a great way to let my kids do artwork without having to find paper and the mess of paints drives me crazy!

The Aquapen is the only thing that will work on the aquapad and you just need to add water-yeah!!

When you're finished, you simply roll up the mat & store it away-love it!!!

A blizzard in your bath!

2008-10-31T05:38:00.000-07:00

The Bath Blizzard
What a very cool name! The name alone, makes me want to try this out for myself.
If your child is like most children, then bubbles are the best thing ever. They will have a blast in the bath tub when they use this.
It's so easy to use, you just put the bath blizzard on the wall with suction cups, pour in bubble solution and turn it on. It really does make a blizzard of bubbles for your kids to play with in the bath.
It takes 4 C batteries, but it's so much fun you won't care!

Itsy Bitsy....Yoga

2008-10-16T18:44:00.000-07:00

itsy bitsy yoga dvd

Itsy Bitsy Yoga was born in 1999, out of a mom's passion for yoga and understanding of infants and toddlers.Yoga is fun, it helps center you (if just for a moment), plus, it's great exercise. And it happens to be all the rage for the kids these days.

Itsy Bitsy Yoga was developed to nurture babies body, spirit and mind.Itsy Bitsy Yoga is made up of simple gentle poses designed specifically to help develop your baby's motor development. The benefits for baby and Mama are endless from a better night's sleep to less fussiness.

http://www.itsybitsyyoga.com/

Flipper Toothbrush holder

2008-10-16T18:42:00.000-07:00

We received a puppy flipper toothbrush holder today and I have to say, these little critter are the cutest things I've ever seen. Flipper products are perfect for keeping germs away. They have a suction cup on the back that sticks to any flat surface. You just open and close with a pull of your toothbrush.

There are several different styles to choose from the My Puppy series to the Animal World series.

Flippers are for the whole family and we also received a razor holder which will come in handy since I'm always getting yelled at to put mine up!

For more info, visit My Flipper at

http://www.myflipperusa.com/

Tomo & Edie

2008-10-16T18:39:00.000-07:00

tomo & edie

Tomo and Edie is a clothing and accessories store that provides organic baby kimonos and vintage Japanese kimono hair accessories. This was an interesting product to review and I think it's a very cool item to have.

Started by two friends, The Tomo & Edie company believes in educating children about other cultures by preserving the environment and promoting peaceful existence.

Having one of their kimonos would definately be a conversation starter!The Tomo and Edie Baby Kimonos are 100% Organic unbleached cotton. The hair accessories are hand-crafted from vintage Japanese silk kimono shaped into plum blossoms which is called that represent Springtime in Japan.

Visit them today!

http://tomoandedie.com/

Miss Muffet sat on her Tuffet

2008-10-16T18:37:00.000-07:00

The Tuffet

The Tuffet is a mom-invented product that was made to create a safe place for baby to sit. I used to use pillows to keep baby up but no need to when you use the Tuffet! Its soft and big enough to catch baby no matter where they fall!

The Tuffet is available in 4 different fabrics (corduroy, micro suede, twill, and denim) and a variety of patterns.

The Tuffet is designed with a slip cover that is easy to remove and to toss in your washer. Kids can use this too as a soft pillow to use while watching tv or reading. This also has two pockets on it that are great for storing items.

http://www.madebyamom.com/

Snug as a bug in a rug

2008-10-16T18:30:00.000-07:00

bugalug

After putting up with barrettes that slip out of Emily's hair, it was a nice change to have one that stays put.

These hair accessories were designed by a Canadian mom and these fabulous, hip clips will stay in the finest of hair.

Bugalug barrettes not only do the job but are safe (non-toxic glue) and these barrettes are great for any hair type, even moms! Bugalug also have no slip headbands too that are one of a kind.

http://www.bug-a-lug.com/

E is for Elephant!

2008-10-16T18:27:00.000-07:00

Tattoos for Tots

My daughter had a hard time picking a tattoo for our picture. She loves letters and was busy pointing out the different letters on the tattoos.

Created by two moms, an elementary school teacher and a graphic designer, Tattoos For Tots are made to help toddlers to learn while wearing fun designs.We shared our tattoos with the neighborhood kids and they already were pointing out the matching letters on each of their tattoos!

Tattoos for Tots can be found online at:

http://tattoosfortots.com/

Give me an "E"!

2008-10-16T18:26:00.000-07:00

Emily just loved her tee from Tote and Tee. She proudly showed off her and told everyone that was her letter to her name!

This company was started by a mom who loves to sew and her letter designs caught on and everyone wanted one.They come in different types of shirts and in all sizes from baby to preteen.And it doesn't stop there-just as the name states, they have totes too! Personalized with your child's name and are very adorable.

AND if that wasn't enough, they carry socks, tights and booties.

What a fun place to shop!

Come on, go shopping!

http://www.toteandtee.com/

Wipe the boogies with Boogie Wipes!

2008-10-16T18:24:00.000-07:00

Boogie Wipes

These are a very cool wipes compared to just using regular wipes. They are softer and smell good. Summer colds are the worse and when it's 90 degrees out, it's nice to have a cool boogie wipe to pull out and use on a hot, runny nose.They come in a nice sizes container and they even have singles to use on the go.Get your boogie on and get some Boogie Wipes!http://www.boogiewipes.com/

Lit Fit rocks!

2008-10-16T18:21:00.000-07:00

This review comes from Little Fit

http://www.littlefit.com/

Quality kids hats, toddler hats, infant hats, children hats, baby hats,youth hats, baseball hats, trucker hats, girls hats and boys hats that are custom-sized especially to protect your child from the sun.We were given the AB CD with sparkles trucker hat to review. My daughter just loves it and we could hardly get it off her head!

I'm a big hat fan and you are very limited at regular stores as far as finding any hats for little ones that aren't Dora, Cinderella or freakin' Mickey! So, when I found Little Fit, I was ecstatic over the cute designs.

I love the mini trucker hat look and their hats allow them to fit them even longer then regular hats.We will be matching her pink hat with most of her wardrobe and she already has some more outfits picked out to wear with it.They have awesome boy and girl designs and when we have our little addition to the family, I will definitely be getting him the matching AB CD boy's hat- wait , maybe the skull and cross bones.

Hell, I love them all!

Save the ta-tas

2008-10-16T18:17:00.000-07:00

We were ecstatic about receiving some shirts from ta- tas. What a brilliant and fun way to raise money for breast cancer! They come in all sizes and different styles from shirts to tank tops. The sayings on the shirts are so cute from rockin ta tas to All American ta tas-my favorite.

If you don't want a shirt, you can get a hat, tote and even a bumper sticker. A portion goes to breast cancer research so, let's help make this world cancer free!

Save the ta tas is one our contest sponsors this month too so, enter our contest and get some free stuff from them!

Save the ta tas

4th of July shoes

2008-10-16T18:15:00.000-07:00

see kai run

We were sent the Indria design for our review.The first thing I noticed was the sturdy feel of these shoes. You can tell they were made to last and thats something I really need in my daughter's shoes because she is really rough with them. These are made with soft sheepskin leather and the flexible rubber sole is perfect for playing!I love this design- it's all white with stars on them. My daughter calls them her July shoes (4th of July-get it?) They even have designs on the bottom of the shoe(words) that is so cute and unique.Obviously, these will go with anything but they do have some other cool designs too. I look for this shoe company to be around for a long time and we'll be visiting them often!

http://www.seekairun.com

The Bowtique

2008-10-16T18:12:00.000-07:00

The Bowtique

When we received our bows, Emily was anxious to try them on. They are so cute and one was a puffy butterfly which was her favorite.Made by a mom, they offer unique variety of baby bows, toddler bows, hair clips headbands and accessories.These colorful hair accessories go with everything and they are fun to wear with any kind of outfit from dressy to casual.The Bowtique was one of our sponsors for our July Contest.

Visit them today!

The Bowtique

Monki See Monki Do

2008-10-16T05:31:00.000-07:00

Monki See Monki DoobyIntellectual Baby, LLCFrom birth to 5 years of age your child's brain is developing at an extreme rate. Intellectual Baby states that a two year old can learn to read faster than a three year old, a three year old can learn to read easier than a four year old, etc. So, you should get your baby to a learning!!Monki See , Monki Doo dvd kept our two year old "reviewer" interested and she loved the songs sang. I've seen many babies reading in different tv interviews and I know this can work! The video is set up cleverly, using scenerios that hold young ones attention. We are working on using flash cards too and even though my daughter is three, I want to try her with this too.

You need to get a copy of this-today!

Monki See, Monki Doo

Forget the spit!

2008-10-16T05:29:00.000-07:00

momspit

Have you ever forgot to wipe your child's face before you left and then tried the lick your thumb to get it off tecnique? My daughter HATES that. Well, a company has saved our children- at least from having spit on their face. Mom Spit is a universal no-rinse cleanser for hands and face.This handy dandy cleaner comes in a nicely sized bottle that fits easily in your purse or diaper bag. This stuff works like a breeze and takes off the toughest stuff off of them-even when they use their body as a canvas with markers or pens!You need to get you some!A bottle will run you $9 or you can buy 3 for $25.

http://www.momspit.com/

Sesame Street building sets from KNEX!

2008-10-16T05:28:00.001-07:00

I was pleasantly surprised when I received my Ernie building set from K'nex. These are SO cool!My daughter (age 3) grabbed it from my hands and quickly took all the parts out. We worked together first, to show her how it worked and after we put it together once, she took it apart and put it together again over and over. She even had fun changing out the pieces and making a silly Ernie.This puzzle like toy is a great tool for hand and eye development and teaching where parts go.I even like how it's just the right size for convenience and could definitely be taken along for travel!

Knex

Show your rage!

2008-10-16T05:24:00.001-07:00

We received three shirts from Rage Baby, a way for your alter ego to shine through your children's shirts. Shown is Emily's Future Woman President and I will be posting our infant onesie and youth shirt on my blog for you to see them too!While at the store, Emily's shirt was a definite conversation starter. Also, I need to mention that these are one of a kind and when you buy one, you support fair trade and ecological responsibility. These clothes are sewn by the Fair Trade Zone, a women's cooperative in Nicaragua. My favorite would be their logo shirt and I will have to order one soon!

You got to get you one!

www.ragebaby.com

We've moved and remodeled!

2008-10-15T20:26:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the new Reviewing Mama Blog!

We got our new look from Cathy, owner of www.mydesignworkbench.com.

Thanks, Cathy!

She's running a contest, so get your butt over there and enter to win some great prizes!

I'll be adding my old and new reviews this week from my old site, so if you missed any of them you have a chance to read them.

Rock on, from Reviewing Mama!